Montrose County, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Montrose County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 85 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Montrose County compares with Colorado
Montrose County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Montrose County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Montrose County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 16.2 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 50% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.0% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 37.5% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 1.5× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 15.0% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 33% below the state |
Montrose County has lower values than Colorado for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above Colorado on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
Montrose County at a glance: 1 in 16 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.2%, vs 2.8% in Colorado.
Overview
Police reported 85 crashes involving commercial trucks in Montrose County since 2015: 31 people were injured and 4 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 50 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 15.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 3.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.8% of truck crashes, against 43.5% across Colorado.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 20.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Montrose County is US-550, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-348 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 5.9%, compared with 2.8% in Colorado.
Route planning tips for Montrose County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-550; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 37.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Colorado.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Montrose County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Montrose County) |
|---|---|
| US-550 | 3 |
| SR-348 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Montrose County) |
|---|---|
| Carnation Rd At 6000 Rd | 2 |
| Hwy 141 At Mp 56 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 .60 Miles E Of Mp 82 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 106 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 80 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 85 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 123 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 125 | 2 |
Montrose County at a glance
| Population | 44,806 |
| Land area | 2,240.9 sq mi |
| Density | 20 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,281 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Montrose County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +32% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 7 | -29% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 9 | +28% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 7 to 9. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Montrose County
ZIP codes in Montrose County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Montrose County
How many truck crashes happen in Montrose County?
Since 2015, 85 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Montrose County (31 injured, 4 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Montrose County?
US-550 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Montrose County since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Montrose County?
The worst month is January: 15.3% of truck crashes in Montrose County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Montrose County?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Montrose County since 2015, 5.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Montrose County compare with Colorado?
Montrose County records 16.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Montrose County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.